I think we were one of the first ones to go to Woodhouse. I felt rather used about to whole thing. The sole reason for this was I already knew my parent's money was wasted on me . So swaning off to Devon to Woodhouse seemed to cause me a great guilt trip. As a act of Contrition for my folks I would bring some Prep with me. How sad looking back. But there were many boys who would go down to Woodhouse very often . Paul Hughes is a name which comes to me. Why pay for Schooling if you were doing unpaid work? It is the one of the few times our old Head was wrong. I remember one day Big P asked our whole class if we wanted to go to Woodhouse. I could tell Mr Langley wasn't impressed so we had a meeting in the comman room and had a vote. It was not a fair one, as the Head was there so he would know who was against the idea. Needless to say we had our three day trip to Devon.

I only remember visiting the place once, myself and Trevor Cornbil (that is the frst time I have recalled his name in 15 years!!) were the only two seniors but we were accompanied by loads of jubs. We had to cut grass all day and I think I sneaked in a game of billiards with the Head in the afternoon.

 

It is quite a famous house in the parish of South Zeal, North Tawton just north east of Oakhampton, or just north of Dartmoor.

 

Does anyone know if the Peasters still own it....is it for sale??

 

Come to think of it - Jace Guillory, Arron Thorpe and Paul Timms and Andrew Webb all came down on that day aswell, but didn't do any work.....doesn't surprise me though.

The trips to Woodhouse were a welcome relief from studies, especially during the summer months when it was just nice to be outside rather then boxed up in a classroom. If I remember correctly, we would stack the back of the minibus with frozen stuff, drinks, trays of fruit cake and a box of sweets (from a mini raid on the tuck shop!) We would sing, play games,  generally wind the Head up on the journey down.

We did most of the work after lunch which, I think would always be sausages and chips! The work would involve mainly grass-cutting and clearing areas. We were not let loose on the hedge trimming till the 5th year. There was also alot of burning going on, mainly of old grass & hedge cuttings, branches`n`stuff. The main event was the dossin around the lake. I remember swimming across it once, it was freezing even in summer, legs kept getting caught in the weeds or in the sludge at the bottom.

The house itself didn`t seem to serve any purpose. I suppose you could call it the Peaster`s retreat but each time they went, they were always doing something rather than relaxing. Norman lived there for ages but he didn`t seem to do anything except feed the chickens of manage the vegetable garden.

I think the house had about twelve bedrooms, several were en-suite and most of them empty of full of storage. There was always that musty smell as soon as you walk in (though that may have been down to the contribution from the dogs!) and was very dark.

Still, there was always something to do there which kept you entertained one way or the other. It just would have been nice to have had tea with Noel Edmunds who, from what I recall, didn`t live very far away and once wanted to purchase the house. The nearest town, Okehampton, I visited once, filling up the petrol cans. (Don`t worry if you haven`t been there, you are not missing anything!)

I have downloaded my collection of Woodhouse photos from my many visits which may provoke some memories of your own.

Bendan,

 

I can remember you coming back into History Dorm that evening and switching the light on. Someone thehn punched  your hand, so you screamed . Unfortunately we all thought you were joking, and laughed.

 

I find it increadible that the school could of let this kind of thing happen.

 

 

Tom Hougham (class of 87)

 

 

I don't !!  During visits there it was not uncommon to be out playing around by/on/in the lake with no adults in the vicinity.

 

Don't remember the episode though.

 

I remember going to Woodhouse one time and the lake was drained so BigP could do some work to it.  Think we all had to do stuff in the mud that time.